Alabama's aerospace sector ready for global stage at 2014 Farnborough International Air Show

MOBILE, Alabama – The global reach of the Farnborough International Air Show is expected to reach new heights Sunday when the weeklong trade show, networking extravaganza and aerospace exposition welcomes some 1,500 exhibitors, more than half of which hail from outside the southeast England hamlet.

In fact, organizers anticipate the establishment of at least 18 international pavilions and will welcome for the first time the nations of Tunisia, Malaysia and Thailand to their celebration of 100 years of aviation history.

"The aviation/aerospace industry is truly a global one, and this show brings the world together in one location for a week of incredible networking and business development," Bill Sisson, president and chief executive officer of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

Sisson joins a delegation of more than 90 elected, civic and business leaders statewide – including six elected Mobile County officials – making the trip to network and boost the state's chances of luring continued aerospace investment to Alabama.

"Mobile's profile is more significant than ever because of the timing of the Airbus A320 final assembly line construction. The closer we come to the FAL becoming operational, the more energy and excitement there is around the project," Sisson said.

With dozens of one-on-one supplier meetings scheduled, the Farnborough trade mission is intended to maintain Alabama's status as an emerging, reliable and profitable market for global aerospace investment.

Lee Lawson

"The most important aspect of this show is that executives from all over the world see us as a regional team selling our region collaboratively and understand our capabilities as a world-class place for aerospace companies to locate and do business in." Lee Lawson, executive director of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, said.

Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson said equally important is her desire to remind anyone following not only the Airbus project but coastal Alabama's already successful aerospace sector that new projects and investments – especially those international in nature – do not happen overnight.

Connie Hudson

"It is a process of relationship building and positioning Mobile to take advantage of future opportunities when they present themselves. The Airbus assembly plant in Hamburg, Germany, grew (its) supplier base and added 40,000 jobs to the economy, but it happened over a 40-year period," Hudson said, adding, "I believe the Mobile Airbus facility will expand similarly. Suppliers already are setting up in Mobile, and once airplane production gets underway, it will spur more suppliers to move into the region, making the relationships we've developed over time even more important."

Roger Wehner, executive director of the Mobile Airport Authority, took the stance even further.

Roger Wehner

"The (Airbus) project's gravity will be measured in years, and its ultimate impact a function of decades but, then again, great things rarely come about quickly," he said, adding, "It's important, I think, to remember that single company projects can be transformative, and there are examples all over the country. Fortunately, we are not dependent on Airbus alone. Using history as our guide if we nurture the growth of the existing aerospace cluster and its newest member Airbus, it will be far more impactful than the sum of the parts."

AL.com will provide ongoing coverage of the 2014 Farnborough International Air Show, beginning Sunday with more detailed interviews with several of the Team Mobile members making the trek and the most current figures available regarding the region's and state's strides in the recruitment of aerospace and aviation companies.

Look for the real fun to begin Monday and Tuesday, though, as we offer video clips from inside the air show and a host of chatter-worthy developments as the two-day trade show portion of the weeklong event begins.

Meanwhile, check out the following global links for a sneak peek at what the air show has to offer.